


After New York

by hanyou_elf



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Insomnia, Non-Consensual Drug Use, PTSD, Tony Stark Feels, sedatives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 01:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2450459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanyou_elf/pseuds/hanyou_elf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's not okay, and Rhodey is lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After New York

The whiskey burns. But Tony’s trembling and his eyes are wide and his lips are thinned out as he stands at the windows, looking out on the devastated city. There are bags under his eyes and Rhodey’s terrified for him. 

The last time he’d seen his best friend like this, his little brother, he’d just gotten out of the hands of the Ten Rings, he’d been wandering around the deserts of Afghanistan. He had trapped Tony in the hospital for a week before he’d helped to spring him, liberating him from the German base, and taking him home. 

And he’d plyed him with watered down vodka and a shoulder to lean on. Liquid courage, liquid comfort. 

He’d listened to Tony rant and cry and sob. 

But this is different. Tony has learned to deal with everything related to Afghanistan, has learned to move past his nightmares and started getting back into the swimming pool. He’s been healing. 

But then New York. 

The aliens and his trip into space through time, the near death experience before other people that he has fallen in love with, that he respects (because seriously, Captain America tried to pick a fight with him, helped him beat off Chitauri aliens, and went to dinner with him!) has embarrassed him. 

But there’s something with Tony right now. There’s something going wrong with him. His hands shake as he lifts the whiskey. He can’t stop licking his lips, can’t stop drinking. 

Rhodey can see he hasn’t slept well in weeks. And it makes him feel so much guilt and rage at himself , because he hadn’t been here for Tony. He’s been getting used to the suit, to the power and excitement that wearing the armor gives him. And he’d been in Syria when the Chitauri had appeared, vomited from a hole in the sky. 

Tony’s talking about something, between sips of whiskey and trembling hands over his face. He’s gesturing out the windows of the tower, gesturing at the walls. He’s rambling about JARVIS, about what he can do with the AI interface and how he can improve upon it. 

Tony is terrified. 

Rhodey almost feels bad about the fact that he slipped a sedative into the bottle, that he drinks his own whiskey from a different bottle. 

But Tony hasn’t slept, can see the exhaustion in his handsome face and defeated shoulders. 

“Come sit down,” Rhodey murmurs, patting the couch cushion beside him. He spreads his arms and offers a silent place of shelter. 

“I can’t breath,” Tony admits softly. He swallows whiskey thickly, and he blinks slowly. His eyes are far away and focused on something else. “I can’t see… There’s so much out there. How can I… I have to make weapons again. I have to do something to protect everyone. I can’t rest,” he breathes softly, relaxing into the warmth of Rhodey’s body.

“You’re not doing it alone,” Rhodey answers. He drags his hand down Tony’s arm and back up again, comforting and relaxing him. “You got me, Captain America- which I’m super jealous about, and Thor. Plus the Hulk! And those spies. You have help. You aren’t alone.”

“I feel like I am,” he confesses softly.

He lifts the tumbler and sips at the whiskey before his hand slipped, falling into his lap and a soft snore echoes in the room. He looks peaceful enough. Quiet and contemplative, sleeping. 

“Damnit Tony,” Rhodey sighs. He lifts the spilled glass, ignoring the shock of cold over his lap. It’s a minor annoyance in the grander scheme of things. Tony needs sleep, he needs help. And Rhodey doesn’t know what else to do for him.

He wraps his arm tighter around Tony’s slim shoulders, pulling the engineer close. This is his best friend, his favorite person in all of the universe, and he has to figure out something to do to help.


End file.
